organism
noun
or·gan·ism
ˈȯr-gə-ˌni-zəm 
1
: a complex structure of interdependent and subordinate elements whose relations and properties are largely determined by their function in the whole
the nation is not merely the sum of individual citizens at any given time, but it is a living organism, a mystical body … of which the individual is an ephemeral part—
Joseph Rossi
Joseph Rossi2
: an individual constituted to carry on the activities of life by means of parts or organs more or less separate in function but mutually dependent : a living being
a multicellular organism
Examples of organism in a Sentence
A human being is a complex organism.
Recent Examples on the Web
Over a century, maybe a few thousand humans—pioneer organisms—go out and start living in a hollowed out asteroid or elsewhere.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
Matt Horton, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission program coordinator, says 36 aquatic nuisance species have been documented in Arkansas, including plants, fish, mussels, snails and other types of organisms.
—Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2025
The longer-term opportunity in biologics, which are complex drugs derived from living organisms, is another tailwind.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025
Stable isotope analyses have revolutionized how paleoecologists reconstruct the diets of many ancient organisms.
—Aditya Reddy Kurre, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2025
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Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
Matt Horton, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission program coordinator, says 36 aquatic nuisance species have been documented in Arkansas, including plants, fish, mussels, snails and other types of organisms.
—Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2025
The longer-term opportunity in biologics, which are complex drugs derived from living organisms, is another tailwind.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025
Stable isotope analyses have revolutionized how paleoecologists reconstruct the diets of many ancient organisms.
—Aditya Reddy Kurre, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for organism
Cite this Entry
“Organism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/organism. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
organism
noun
or·gan·ism
ˈȯr-gə-ˌniz-əm
1
: something having many related parts that function together as a whole
2
: an individual living thing that carries on the activities of life by means of organs which have separate functions but are dependent on each other : a living person, plant, or animal
Medical Definition
organism
noun
or·gan·ism
ˈȯr-gə-ˌniz-əm
: an individual constituted to carry on the activities of life by means of organs separate in function but mutually dependent : a living being
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